How to find out a virtual server or physical. Physical server against a virtual server: All you need to know

Those who decide to create and conduct their own projects on the Internet, sooner or later faces the issue of renting disk space. The advantages of buying hosting are obvious: the machine works around the clock, connected to a high-speed Internet channel, etc. But what server in this situation choose: virtual or physical? And what is the principal difference between them then? Let's deal with.

We study the concept

The first thing to be done in comparing the services of various types is to figure out what they represent:

• Physical (Dedicated) Server is a separate machine on which only your resource (or resources) files are posted, and the owner of which receives it full access and on software, and at the hardware level.
• Virtual (VDS) Server is one of the many emulators placed on one computer. It is functionally practically completely copied by the physical server, but its owners have to share the car with other coarters whose number (depending on the power of the iron) can be measured by hundreds.

We analyze the advantages

The next step approaching us to the answer to the question "What to choose" is a comparison of characteristics. After all, it is from them that will depend on how efficient the resource will function. For clarity, place the results of the comparison in the table:

We formulate conclusions

So what server to choose as a result: physical or virtual. Even now, when we know the "pros" and "minuses" of both options, there is no unambiguous answer. All solve personal tastes and preferences of the future tenant.

Physical servers - the choice of those who are calmer to realize that somewhere "there" stands a real computer, which there is no need to share with any other. They are also interested in those owners whose Internet resources require the installation on the Specific Hardware / Software server. Virtual machines will ask for those who are not used to overpay for services. Among their users are prevailed by people, which first of all, estimate the reliability of the site and the mobility of its replacement.

Now we know what the key differences between servers different types. And which one in the end chose you?

Probably, every noticeable project or simply every major organization sooner or later faces the choice: buy a physical or rent a virtual server? Let's try to figure out what is better and economically justified.

Cost of physical server

First of all, you need to look after the physical server that will meet your expectations - so that you have some amount to have some amount and that you can clearly see which option is economically more appropriate in your case.

You need to decide what we consider the server. If just a computer in the usual tower-building, which will be dust in the far corner of your office, is one thing. In fact, you can install MS SQL Server on my laptop and make it a database server. But how quickly such a base "falls" with a real load even in 5-10 users while simultaneously work in 1C?

If you imagine the server that is exactly what is a separate computer, say with 16 GB of RAM and one terabate, - then you can continue to read and not spend your time. Go better to any online store Buy your workstation - it is impossible to call it.
In my presentation, the server is a machine with a server xeon processor, register memory with ECC and hardware disk array. This is such a "computer" has the right to be called the server. The case when placed inside the office and in the absence of server racks does not have the value, but I would have a 1u / 2U enclosure with an hour of the future - sooner or later you will come to the conclusion that the server is better stored in the data center.

In fig. 1 depicts HP Proliant DL180 Gen9 server:

• Eight-core Intel Xeon E5-2620 V4 (2.1-3 GHz)
• Register (REGISTERED) Memory with ECC, 16 GB
• SMART Array P440 / 2G 12 GB Controller
• Case Form Factor 2U

This is in my understanding the server. But such a "apparatus" will cost about 162,250 rubles according to Yandex.Market. There are cheaper options for this server, but there or not hard disk In general, or the amount of memory is 8 GB, and not 16. The configuration for 162,250 rubles includes one RDIMM module dDR memory 16 GB and two hard disk 300 GB SAS. it a good optionAs for the price and configuration. Such a middle journal - there are options more expensive, there is also cheaper. You can buy Chinese Patriot - He even with a license for MS Server 2012 will cost cheaper. But since you have become so serious that you need your physical server, then do not look at such options.

Does the physical server need?

Now that you have the cost of iron, let's think about it, but do you need it at all? Very often, a person is tormented over the selection of the server, although in reality can do it perfectly without him. The arguments "the neighbor is", "I was advised" it is better to immediately discard. When should you think about acquiring your own server?

• Website with very high attendance - when the usual hosting no longer stands and the site is often disconnected for the exceeding the limits of processor time and / or traffic.
• Large online project -Awned online store, social network, game Server and similar.
• Portal with large volume of content - Photobank like depositphotos.com, site with a solid number of music or video.
• The need for joint / remote work with some application, for example 1c.

In all these cases, you need a server (notice what - I do not say yet). In the rest (for example, when you have a relatively small site and just one accountant, the computer can be installed 1c) it will be excessive luxury. You can buy ordinary hosting to accommodate your site and pay for this dear penny - something about 240 rubles per month for 6 GB of disk space. This space is enough even for several sites. If you thought under these needs to acquire your own server, think again: the amount spent only on the iron is enough for more than 676 months (56 years!) Rent. And with such a long-term placement, you will also make a substantial discount :).

If your project falls into one of the listed categories, the server is exactly needed. It remains only to decide which one, because in most cases you can do without a virtual allocated server (VDS), or a virtual private server (VPS), which is much cheaper.

VDS or VPS.

VPS (Virtual Private Server is a virtual private server) is a software virtualization and is implemented at the level of the operating core. All machines are created on the basis of one server kernel, each virtual machine (this is the VPS, which you will rent) is a server with a software environment, however, without the right to change the kernel and the operating system itself. The most frequently used OpenVZ and Virtuozzo virtualization platforms.

The advantage of this solution is one, and it is very significant - low cost. But there are much more flaws:

• Overselling. Rights and kernel resources are highlighted without binding to a specific machine. For example, you and your neighbor rent two VPS servers of the same configuration. Let each server have 2 GB of RAM. That's just your site consumes 500-800 MB of memory, and your neighbor's website is 3 GB. It turns out that you pay for the resources that you really do not use your site.
• Dependence on neighbors. From the previous point, another problem follows. Excessive load on one machine can lead to failures in the work of the adjacent VPS. For example, a neighbor VPS loaded the processor, and your site will slow down from it. And loading the processor is very easy - it is enough to install any voracious CMS like Magento, and the constant overrun of the processor time and the RAM is guaranteed.
• Limit configuration. Part of the VPS settings cannot be changed. It is not possible to change the root file system and the kernel to you are not suitable. Of course, the kernel and root file System It is necessary to change far from always, and this is not the flaw, just a feature of using VPS.

Your server is physically placed in the Provider's Data Center, where the Internet channel and nutrition is redundant, and the optimum temperature is maintained.

Stand services for the placement of the server relatively inexpensive. The server accommodation itself will cost 2500 rubles per month. The Internet with 10 Mbps or non-transted 100 Mbps is free when renting the Ethernet switch port is 500 rubles per month. If such a channel is not enough for you, then you can or buy a guaranteed channel 50 Mbps (3500 rubles per month), or take a port with a non-marginal band 1 Gbit / s for 5000 rubles per month.

It turns out that the existence of the server will cost you at least 3,000 rubles per month. This moment Need to consider when counting the profitability of the purchase of physical equipment. After all, this money can be rented (even cheaper) VDS with 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of disk space!

All this is me to the fact that from the cost of renting VDS you can safely deduct the price of placement of the server, because in the case of the physical server you would still have to pay this money.

So, if you take the tariff 11 747 rubles per month (256 GB HDD and 8 GB of RAM) and subtract 10% (discount when paying for the year) and 3000 rubles (placement), then 7572.3 rubles. Take our amount of 162,250 rubles and divide it on the resulting value. The result is almost two years (more than 21 months) VDS lease almost maximum configuration. If you do not need 256 GB right now, you can choose more cheap tariff With 128 GB of space: out of 7899, we subtract 10% and 3000 rubles, it turns out the amount is quite modest, as for renting a server of such a configuration, - 4109 rubles. At the cost of the server, at 162,250 rubles of this amount, it is enough for 39 months of rent VDS from 128 GB HDD, three nuclei and 8 GB of RAM. Two nuclei with the same parameters of RAM and HDD will be even cheaper (2950 rubles, if we count on our methodology). Do not forget that after three years the warranty ends and the physical server may require investments. Surely for three years already deceit hDD And it will be necessary to replace it.

Nevertheless, if you need an iron server from the boards and wires and you want it to be yours and only yours, you can rent a physical server with a subsequent ransom for 1 ruble. Of course, the monthly fee with this situation will be higher, but waited for the year and took his server home, to the office, left in the data center. Holly and decease himself - however, as they serve. In other words, your virtual server can turn into a real!

conclusions

Rent VDS in most cases not only easier, but also more profitable. As for physical servers, their use is advisable only if the planned load is so high that the virtual server does not cope with it (if you plan that all eight kernels of your physical processor will be used) and immediately need all disk space. In all other cases, it is more profitable to rent VDS. When choosing in favor of the physical server, you should not forget about the price of the placement of the server in the data center, which is comparable to the rental cost of not the weakest VDS.

Server - program or equipment?

All site owners and many of simple users The Internet has repeatedly heard the word "server". And in some cases, the server was told about the program ("server functions", "Server with support ..."), and in others - both about the equipment ("place on the server", "load on the server"). What is it really - a program or equipment?

Both. Server as hardware is a computer allocated to perform any tasks. This server can be designed to store data and perform any continuous functions (for example, support for the program). It does not need additional maintenance as ordinary personal Computer. All you need from a specialist is to make the primary setting and time from time to time to check the operation of the server.

The appropriate software must be installed on any server. It allows you to use hardware resources and perform the required functions, i.e. carry out service. Often this software (and sometimes the services provided by its owners are called the server.

There are many types of servers, but in applied to the Internet, creating and promoting sites, you can select a physical and virtual dedicated server as an alternative to ordinary hosting. Each species has its advantages and disadvantages that can be completely eliminated when used in appropriate situations.

Varieties of servers.

Depending on the functions that the server performs, it can belong to one of several species:
- Web server. This is a fairly common area on the Internet, which is designed to keep and provide access to Web resources.

File server. Its main purpose is the data storage and distribution of access to files. Criteria for the quality of such a server is the amount of disk memory and the degree of data protection.

Database server. It is auxiliary part of the database management system (DBMS). Such a server must provide the required throughput and continuity of work.

Communication server. Can execute the role of a proxy server, router, IP address distributor, a server for a VPN (virtual private network). Provides high data protection, anonymity in the network.

Mail server. As can be seen from the name, it is used to work with email - sending and receiving, processing, storing letters of users, target visitors. The greater the local network than more usersThe more important the role of this server.

Backup server. A fairly important part of the hardware and software package in any company. On this server in automatic mode Copyable important information. In order to protect information from the physical threat (for example, a fire), it can be located in another room or building.

Physical and virtual server.

Tasks have a lot of tasks. And one of the most common is the support of the site on the Internet.

Internet is not some kind general Sourcewhere you can accommodate something. All sites and any files available on the network are placed on physical servers. If the server fails, the site ceases to be accessible to other Internet users. The same can be said about any other programs, data, content that are available within one local network.

In order to place a website, a database or a program that would be accessible to all users on the network, you need to get a server - physical or virtual at your disposal.

"Physical" in the Internet sphere is called a server that is located directly from the user. This workstation or a dedicated computer with the appropriate software, which has a permanent connection to the Internet or local network. Purchase and maintenance of the physical server costs a large amount, so it is used only in some cases. For example, if it is necessary to maintain a large local network. Physical servers require hosting and Internet providers, as well as owners of major popular Internet resources (for example, Yandex).

The virtual server is a service provided by hosting providers that have a physical server at their disposal. At the same time, the user rents the entire server and places its data on it, which are then available on the Internet.

In this article, we explain the main differences between the physical and virtual server from the client's point of view. We will also try to debunk on the way some myths. Let's hope that it will help individuals and companies to make more suspended solutions when buying a server.

Physical server (so-called dedicated server)

The physical server is, as it says the name, server (physical computer), which runs the operating system, like Windows, or Linux, as on any other computer. Physical servers almost everywhere, desktop computers, from large quantity Improvements that do not have desktop pcs showing things like backup power supplies, RAID controllers, several network cards etc. Physical servers are larger in size with much more powerful components in general. All of them require a separate place in the server rack. Most servers also have two or more physical processors and each with several nuclei.

Virtual server (VPS or otherwise virtual machine - VM)

In order for everyone to understand the concept of virtual servers, we must explain a little about how virtualization works.

Hypervin – Operating system Or software in an operating system that simulates a computer environment in which virtual machines are created and running.

This means that the hypervisor may be either a separate software (type 2 of the hypervisor) or may act as a hypervisor of the entire operating system (type 1 - hypervisor known as "Bare Metal Hypervisor" or "Embedded Hypervisor"). Examples of 2 types of hypervisors include Oracle VirtualBox, VMware Workstation and Microsoft VirtualPC. Examples of the 1st type of hypervisors include VMware ESXI (VSphere), Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM, XEN and others. The latter is the type 1 of hypervisor - all this can be set as well as the operating system is installed on the server. When the hypervisor is installed on the server, its resources are uniformly distributed between virtual machinesThus, one server can serve hundreds of virtual machines.

After creating, the virtual machine behaves the same way as any other computer, you can enable it and load the operating system, as well as on any other computer. The operating system thinks it is performed on physical Computer. Each virtual machine has its own so-called virtual hardware. VM has its own processor, hard disk and network interface. This means that the default virtual machine does not know that this is a virtual machine, if there is no software on it, which will detect, with the help of other means.

Physical virtual servers, pros and cons

Now, when we understand the concept of virtual servers, we can make a general comparison as from the client's point of view.

Physical disadvantages of Server

• Much more expensive than a virtual server (VPS)
  Just because of the resources required to start and maintain the physical server, they are much more expensive.
• Harder to manage
  Physical servers are generally much more difficult to manage. This is especially true with recovery in case of failures. Just like on any other machine, there will be a day when because of a number of reasons, the server fails. In these cases, recovery from backups is a real nightmare, since the server must be restored from zero to another (new) server, and then the data must be restored from backups. For critical manufacturing systems, it means at least 8 or more hours of idle. To prevent this, the company creates clusters from two or more servers, but, of course, it will only increase costs.
• Worsescalable
  Practically it is impossible to update the server without additional downtime. In addition, it is worth noting that future updates for a dedicated server must be taken into account when ordering a server. Otherwise, the update can lead to the creation of a completely new server. Instead of bringing unplanned service migration and, thus, unplanned downtime of the service.

Physical pro Server

• More powerful than virtual server
  This is the only reason why you must order a dedicated server. So let's see if we have a physical server with 8 GB random access memory and a dual-core processor, and make an accurate copy of the virtual machine with the same parameters, the physical server will provide much better results. This is because the physical server will not suffer from bottlenecks that are present on virtual machines.

Virtual Servers - Cons

• Lower performance compared to selected servers
  As already explained earlier, the virtual machines offer a little less productivity than physical servers because of a number of reasons. Mostly cause is narrow placethat between Vm and the hypervisor itself. In most cases, it does not matter, because this deficiency can be easily solved for cooking clusters of three or more virtual servers. Finally, technology SSD Disc Added considerable productivity of virtual machines.

Virtual pro Server

• Cheaper than dedicated server
  Virtual machines located on physical servers can serve hundreds of virtual machines. Resources that can then be distributed among virtual machines and therefore virtual machines occupy very few resources on the parent server, which significantly reduces their cost.
• Simplified management
  Basically, this is the greatest advantage of the virtual machines that they have in front of the physical servers. The virtual machine is much easier to manage than the physical server. For example, when installing a physical server, you must perform a major check plan. hardware Servers and It peripheral devices And make sure they work correctly. If something does not work, as conceived, additional drivers must be installed and configured. When the virtual machine is deployed, the virtual machine receives its drivers from the parent host, thus, the virtual machine is ready for operation immediately. And this is only one example of many.
• Simplified backup and recovery
  On each physical server requires a manifest to make it configurations, applications and what should or should not be backup For virtual machines, made backups From the entire virtual machine. When there is a failure for any reason, these backups are ready to be restored immediately and in general VM is restored instead. Obviously, in such cases, the downtime is significantly reduced.
• Scalability and flexibility
  There is no downtime for resources (plans) of updates with a large number of RAM, processor power, disk space, etc.
• Perfect choice for any web service
  Is this a small blog or a big social network with thousands of visitors per day, the VPS system can be easily adjusted in accordance with the load. If necessary, more VPS can quickly and easily be added to the cluster serving various aspects of the web service.

So a virtual or physical server is needed for my business?

Short answer - 99.9% Time, VPS is the best choice.

Virtualization as technology these days is getting better and better. Almost every company in the world has adopted virtualization to some level. If you do not need the real power of the allotted server and you also have a large business budget, there is no other reason why you should not choose VPS. VPS system, especially if based on SSD, fast, secure and easy to manage.

Colleagues, glad to inform you that on June 26 of this year it is planned to meet the VMware community, in Moscow.

In addition, we try to make this meeting is easy to communicate - so that it is possible to discuss what and how it is done at colleagues, it happens very useful. And from the pair of three hundreds of coming (including coming from other cities) usually manage to find a suitable interlocutor .

The meeting is free for participants, registration is required (registration form below).

Important! - We took into account the experience and reviews of last year, and now we have drastically reduced the number of sponsors and sponsorship reports, which were most complaints.

The program, as usual, is still in the process of settling, but there is already a previous understanding who and what he wants to tell:

Must be Anton Zhbankov. Last year's report "Processor Planner VMware ESXI 5.1" is unambiguously recognized "the most shredder and therefore an interesting" report of the last meeting (really, I am at work I meet with a person, we communicate we communicate, go to informal themes and here he "But you know such Anton, he An Ats report did that year ... ").
This time, swallowing should increase, without prejudice to utility.

I will add more details closer to the consolidation of arrangements, briefly:
-) Details and experience with Virtual San;
-) Discussion and discussion led by a person introducing "clouds" with their own hands.
-) the rest is specified